- 1[intransitive, transitive] to wake up; to make someone wake up awake (somebody) (from/to something) I awoke from a deep sleep. The girls awoke to the sound of rain rattling on the windows. awake to do something He awoke to find her gone. awake somebody Her voice awoke the sleeping child.
- 2[intransitive, transitive] awake (something) if an emotion awakes or something awakes an emotion, you start to feel that emotion His speech is bound to awake old fears and hostilities. Which Word?awake / awaken / wake up / waken
- Wake (up) is the most common of these verbs. It can mean someone has finished sleeping:What time do you usually wake up?or that somebody or something has disturbed your sleep:The children woke me up. I was woken (up) by the telephone.
- The verb awake is usually used only in writing and in the past tense awoke:She awoke to a day of brilliant sunshine.Waken and awaken are much more formal. Awaken is used especially in literature:The Prince awakened Sleeping Beauty with a kiss.
- Awake is also an adjective:I was awake half the night worrying. Is the baby awake yet?Waking is not used in this way.
awake
verbNAmE//əˈweɪk//
(formal)Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they awake he / she / it awakes
past simple awoke
past participle awoken
-ing form awaking
Check pronunciation: awake